The Warriors went ahead against my adivce and ended up purchasing a draft choice the other night. They picked up well known Nemanja Nedovic from Serbia. 'we like his sized for a point guard'. But can he play? The first step is to see how he does in the upcoming Las Vegas Summer League. Ooops, sorry! He is under contract in Europe. So he will come to camp in September as a complete unknown. The Warriors had another European player Ognjen Kuzmic from a previous draft that was suppose to show what he could do but they found out he cannot play this summer because he is injured. Does any European drafted in the second round for the future ever make it?
The bigger news is that Dwight Howard is being interviewed by the Warriors Tuesday. Now I know that the Warriors are stupid! If you want a player who won't play if he doesn't like what the coach is doing, and if he has a foot fungus will beg out of the game then sign Howard. Dwight has proven in the last couple of years that he can destroy team chemistry and turn cheering fans into boo birds.
Homer Sweeney
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Giants Win! Back in the Race
It is really hard to believe but the Giants finally won one game and moved within three games of the lead in the NL West. That's the good news! The bad news is that they are one game from being in last place. The Rockies gave the final game of the the three game series to the Giants with some very sloppy defense. Posey continues to hit home runs and Sandoval although he got a gift hit today struck out three times. On to Cincinnati for four more games.
Homer Sweeney
Homer Sweeney
Will the Giants Trade the Panda?
The Giants will not trade Sandoval because they will not be offered enough in return that will keep the Orange and Black family happy. It's a tough time for the Panda not hitting, not fielding, not in shape, way over weight and the Giants losing one game after another. Last year The Giants won and Sandoval got hot during the post season leaving little incentive to get in shape for this year. Soon if he hasn't already happened his teammates are going to start to wonder out loud how this guy has let them down. Will Pablo learn his lesson? Lets hope he turns over a new leaf gets in shape during the off season and proves next year to the Giants and the fans that he is truly one of the most talented players in major league baseball.
Homer Sweeney
Homer Sweeney
Thursday, June 27, 2013
The Three S's and Dummies
The Giants were Sloppy, Stupid and Swept by the Dodgers in the just concluded three game series. In the eighth inning of the second game Tuesday is one example of sloppy play. The Dodgers had a runner on first. The next batter hits a double play ball to Crawford who flipped to Scutaro who could not get the ball out of this glove and was late on the throw to first. The next batter hit a smash through the legs of Sandoval who at 280 lbs is having trouble at third for an error. Then the next batter hit another double play ball to Crawford and this time the short stop bobble enough to prevent the Giants from getting a double play.
In the top of ninth the Giants showed their only life of the series. They got four hits in a row. Then Perez is given the bunt sign. I have said before never give a team an out when you have them on the ropes. That is what I call stupid baseball. Perez failed to bunt and ended up flying out but the bat was taken out of his hand and the Giants went quietly. Is there any wonder the Dodgers swept the Giants easily.
I can't believe the Giants 'experts' I hear on television to bring up Gary Brown that's the solution. Every since his first year in Class A he has flopped big time. These same experts feel the Giants will bonce back because they are World Champions. Yes they are champs but now without pitching. The Giants will battle Colorado for the honor to push up daisey's in the NL West. They should be sellers and not buyers at the trade deadline because that is where you can get a good deal. Four players the Giants should consider trading if they can can get real solid prospects in return are Zito, Lincecum and Arias because of contract issues and Sandoval because he will always be a problem
Football Notes: The NCAA slapped Oregon on the wrist indicating again that it is all about money. After the penalties given to USC any other penalty is really nothing.. . Was glad to see with all the changes in conferences that USC will continue to play Notre Dame through 2023 a rivalry that dates back to 1926... USC was granted complete control of the Coliseum. Don't be dumb USC, tear the place down like Stanford did and build a new stadium. . . I recently mentioned the NFL new rules for entering the stadium. I must add that you are allowed to bring in a cell phone because they can and probably will monitor all your calls, a radio with an electronic device that can set off a bomb and there are exceptions for medical reason which means that those that who need marijuana for medical reasons will be able to smoke in the no smoking stadium. The NFL better be careful for Uncle Sam will be after them for allowing their fans to destroy the 'O' Zone. On occasion when I and my wife lungs weren't as clear as they should be our doctor prescribed 'ProAir an oral inhalation prescription. One of my wife's friend recently told her that her insurance company would not pay for this medication in the future because after you inhale and breathe out you destroy the "O" zone. I am not kidding and either are those pot smoking Ivy league dummies in Washington who know it all. Speaking of dummies but this one from Stanford, Chelsea Clinton gave a talk saying that she wished Planned Parenthood was around when her grandmother gave birth to a illegitimate child. She was really saying she should not have been born and come to think of it either should have her mother. Maybe she not so dumb after all. The NFL is receiving many complaints about eliminating cushions from being brought into the stadium. The NFL is telling them you should have paid $30,000 for a seat license if you wanted to be comfortable. Oh yes did you see that it was a good day for the NFL yesterday when only two players got arrested for attempted murder. The heroes of the modern age
NBA draft is tonight and every there was a year not to have a pick this is the year. I keep hearing the Warriors may trade for a pick. They can't be that dumb!
Homer Sweeney
In the top of ninth the Giants showed their only life of the series. They got four hits in a row. Then Perez is given the bunt sign. I have said before never give a team an out when you have them on the ropes. That is what I call stupid baseball. Perez failed to bunt and ended up flying out but the bat was taken out of his hand and the Giants went quietly. Is there any wonder the Dodgers swept the Giants easily.
I can't believe the Giants 'experts' I hear on television to bring up Gary Brown that's the solution. Every since his first year in Class A he has flopped big time. These same experts feel the Giants will bonce back because they are World Champions. Yes they are champs but now without pitching. The Giants will battle Colorado for the honor to push up daisey's in the NL West. They should be sellers and not buyers at the trade deadline because that is where you can get a good deal. Four players the Giants should consider trading if they can can get real solid prospects in return are Zito, Lincecum and Arias because of contract issues and Sandoval because he will always be a problem
Football Notes: The NCAA slapped Oregon on the wrist indicating again that it is all about money. After the penalties given to USC any other penalty is really nothing.. . Was glad to see with all the changes in conferences that USC will continue to play Notre Dame through 2023 a rivalry that dates back to 1926... USC was granted complete control of the Coliseum. Don't be dumb USC, tear the place down like Stanford did and build a new stadium. . . I recently mentioned the NFL new rules for entering the stadium. I must add that you are allowed to bring in a cell phone because they can and probably will monitor all your calls, a radio with an electronic device that can set off a bomb and there are exceptions for medical reason which means that those that who need marijuana for medical reasons will be able to smoke in the no smoking stadium. The NFL better be careful for Uncle Sam will be after them for allowing their fans to destroy the 'O' Zone. On occasion when I and my wife lungs weren't as clear as they should be our doctor prescribed 'ProAir an oral inhalation prescription. One of my wife's friend recently told her that her insurance company would not pay for this medication in the future because after you inhale and breathe out you destroy the "O" zone. I am not kidding and either are those pot smoking Ivy league dummies in Washington who know it all. Speaking of dummies but this one from Stanford, Chelsea Clinton gave a talk saying that she wished Planned Parenthood was around when her grandmother gave birth to a illegitimate child. She was really saying she should not have been born and come to think of it either should have her mother. Maybe she not so dumb after all. The NFL is receiving many complaints about eliminating cushions from being brought into the stadium. The NFL is telling them you should have paid $30,000 for a seat license if you wanted to be comfortable. Oh yes did you see that it was a good day for the NFL yesterday when only two players got arrested for attempted murder. The heroes of the modern age
NBA draft is tonight and every there was a year not to have a pick this is the year. I keep hearing the Warriors may trade for a pick. They can't be that dumb!
Homer Sweeney
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Giants Still Over .500
There's lots of good news . . . The Giants are still over five hundred. . . They avoided being swept again by winning one of the four games against the last place Marlins. . . It's time to play another last place team the Dodgers.. .The young pitcher Dunning looked good on Sunday. . The Giants hit one home run during week. Hey that's better than none. I lost count of how many the Padres and Marlins hit. . ..Jeremy Affeldt has to wise up. He has failed in his latest attempts to relieve. In two of the three games he hit a left hand batter. In both cases the batter stepped into and did not try to avoid the pitch. So next time a left hand hitter is up drill him in the ribs. . . Pablo Sandoval is the Class A Player of the weekend and I don't believe the Giants when they say he lost weight since he has been on the DL. . . The ball dude for Friday nights game along the right field line was a Giants fan who lives in Florida and comes to AT&T when the Marlins are in town. . . All the Marlin announcers talked about Friday night was the city the weather and Chinatown . . . I wonder what US Government agency is monitoring the Marlins because they have so many white American players. Somebody in Washington has to be complaining. I could not believe so many Italian names playing the sport Joe DiMaggio made famous. Thought they all were playing soccer.. . . . Why does Sunday Night Baseball always pick rain drenched cities for their games? They are as bad as the PGA..
Homer Sweeney
Homer Sweeney
Paying for Stadiums
For years the NFL has ripped off local taxpayers by threatening to leave in order to get cities to build even bigger and more exclusive stadiums to use ten days a year. This is no different than what is happening in Brazil which has seen millions riot against government corruption and methods of paying for Word Cup Soccer and the 2016 Olympic Games stadiums. The masses don 't want to pay extra for a bus ride so millionaire soccer players and Olympians can earn even more at their expense. We now know that the US government as been black mailing people for years and has the capacity and the law behind them to black mail any citizen they wish. Perhaps its too late for Americas to take to the street!
Homer Sweeney
Homer Sweeney
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Revenge and Perez
Revenge and Perez were the two big headlines during the Padres series just concluded.
Guzman the former Giant got his revenge when hit a hone run off of Bumgardner to give the Padres the lead Wednesday afternoon. The Giants felt Guzman had celebrated too much the night before after his home run so Bumgardner threw behind him in his first at bat Wednesday. Romo made most Giant fans forget the embarrassment when he struck out Guzman in the ninth inning to help preserve the game and series for the Giants. Is there much difference between Guzman celebration and what Romo does after he gets the final out to end a game ? Just asking. Guzman was a Giant a few years ago but he couldn't catch the ball. If you have watched him play for the Padres he still has not learned much defense.
Juan Perez was the other story of the series. He got the game winning hit in game two and was robbed of a walk off winning hit in the opening game Monday. He also thrilled fans by throwing runners out at both home and third making it four outfield assists in his first eight games. With Pagan refusing surgery and taking an injection instead he is expected back in the next few days. What will happen to Perez? When the Giants have a choice between a rookie and a vet they always choose the vet especially if he is getting $10 million. It will be long Greyhound ride to Fresno for the new Giant fan favorite Perez.
Homer Sweeney
Guzman the former Giant got his revenge when hit a hone run off of Bumgardner to give the Padres the lead Wednesday afternoon. The Giants felt Guzman had celebrated too much the night before after his home run so Bumgardner threw behind him in his first at bat Wednesday. Romo made most Giant fans forget the embarrassment when he struck out Guzman in the ninth inning to help preserve the game and series for the Giants. Is there much difference between Guzman celebration and what Romo does after he gets the final out to end a game ? Just asking. Guzman was a Giant a few years ago but he couldn't catch the ball. If you have watched him play for the Padres he still has not learned much defense.
Juan Perez was the other story of the series. He got the game winning hit in game two and was robbed of a walk off winning hit in the opening game Monday. He also thrilled fans by throwing runners out at both home and third making it four outfield assists in his first eight games. With Pagan refusing surgery and taking an injection instead he is expected back in the next few days. What will happen to Perez? When the Giants have a choice between a rookie and a vet they always choose the vet especially if he is getting $10 million. It will be long Greyhound ride to Fresno for the new Giant fan favorite Perez.
Homer Sweeney
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Texas Jinked?
San Antonio missed two crucial free throws in last hectic minute which costs them game 6 of the NBA finals. They were within one free throw of the NBA Championship. In the 2011 World Series the Texas Rangers twice came within one strike of defeating the St Louis Cardinals for the World Series title.
Homer Sweeney
Homer Sweeney
Monday, June 17, 2013
NFL Fans Are in Danger!
The NFL has finally admitted that fans who attend the NFL games are putting their lives in danger. They almost eliminated everything bigger than a wallet from passing through security. It worked well at Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan. There was not one bombing at their games and fans got through the security gates on average about 12 seconds faster than at other stadiums. If the NFL really cared about the lives of their fans they wouldn't allow any body to attend the games because they know from the Boston Marathon that security was not the issue. It was the incompetence of the FBI. Hell, even the Russians tipped them off and they were too politically correct to do anything. If the NFL is really serious about protecting their fans they would forbid anyone from attending the games until the FBI began to hire competent people. Just think of it if they did this San Francisco would still be home of the 49ers. They could play the games at the relatively new Kezar Stadium without a problem and Santa Clara could rent their new stadium to Santa Clara University soccer and high school football.
Homer Sweeney
Homer Sweeney
Golf and Baseball
If you happen to watch any of the US Open Golf tourney on TV you probably saw many commercials pleading for golfers to speed up the game. They realize if you have to wait six hours to play 18 holes your going to lose players. I know at the course I play I have always said that the pros could never be allowed to play because they take to long measuring how high the grass is on the green.
Baseball could take a lesson from golf and start to address the problem of long games. Some of the Giants games have been very long and drawn out because the pitchers refuse to throw the ball over the plate. Instead they throw to first base. Then they step off the mound. Then the batter backs out and takes off his glove and puts it back on a couple of times.. Then the pitching coach comes out to stall so another pitcher can get warmed up. Then he returns to the dugout and the the manager appears and we have a new pitcher Then there a pinch hitter who has to swing a few bats and take his batting glove off an on. Some of the nine inning games recently have approached four hours. If you watch the games from AT&T you have seen the birds swarming the outfield as early as the seventh inning. They are trying to tell the players to speed it up or watch out.
When I grew up a baseball fan before batting gloves were discovered during the hey day of the Pacific Coast League in the 1940's they played 184 games a year and had an eight man pitching staff. I just did a random research of five old box scores from 1948 and the length of games were 2:03, 2:06, 2:21, 2:10 and 2:10 again. I am sure you have heard Krukow comment that if they used the baseball definition of the strike zone almost every pitch would be a strike. Maybe that's not a bad idea!
Homer Sweeney
Baseball could take a lesson from golf and start to address the problem of long games. Some of the Giants games have been very long and drawn out because the pitchers refuse to throw the ball over the plate. Instead they throw to first base. Then they step off the mound. Then the batter backs out and takes off his glove and puts it back on a couple of times.. Then the pitching coach comes out to stall so another pitcher can get warmed up. Then he returns to the dugout and the the manager appears and we have a new pitcher Then there a pinch hitter who has to swing a few bats and take his batting glove off an on. Some of the nine inning games recently have approached four hours. If you watch the games from AT&T you have seen the birds swarming the outfield as early as the seventh inning. They are trying to tell the players to speed it up or watch out.
When I grew up a baseball fan before batting gloves were discovered during the hey day of the Pacific Coast League in the 1940's they played 184 games a year and had an eight man pitching staff. I just did a random research of five old box scores from 1948 and the length of games were 2:03, 2:06, 2:21, 2:10 and 2:10 again. I am sure you have heard Krukow comment that if they used the baseball definition of the strike zone almost every pitch would be a strike. Maybe that's not a bad idea!
Homer Sweeney
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Giants Lose Another Series
Atlanta shut out the Giants on Sunday Night baseball to win the series two games to one. The old battle cry last year was just win the series but this year it is don't get swept. The NL West seems to be wide open with all of competition for the Giants having their own problems.
The Giant lead off men Blanco and Torres deserve special credit for their play Friday and Saturday. Four times in a row they came up with two out and a man in scoring position and got a hit to drive in a runner. I remember how the over rated but considered 'great' Giant lead off men of the past Bret Butler and Gary North very seldom if ever got a run scoring hit with two outs.
The Giants finally brought up and pitched Jake Dunning tonight. He was a 33rd round draft choice. What ever happened to the twenty pitchers that were taken by the Giants in front of him in the draft? I know Torres has gotten a few key hits in the clutch but his play in the outfield continues to get worse. How long will he last?
Homer Sweeney
The Giant lead off men Blanco and Torres deserve special credit for their play Friday and Saturday. Four times in a row they came up with two out and a man in scoring position and got a hit to drive in a runner. I remember how the over rated but considered 'great' Giant lead off men of the past Bret Butler and Gary North very seldom if ever got a run scoring hit with two outs.
The Giants finally brought up and pitched Jake Dunning tonight. He was a 33rd round draft choice. What ever happened to the twenty pitchers that were taken by the Giants in front of him in the draft? I know Torres has gotten a few key hits in the clutch but his play in the outfield continues to get worse. How long will he last?
Homer Sweeney
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Atlanta or Fresno
Pittsburgh International Airport was planning on starting direct flights to Fresno until they discovered it was the Giants who were sending players every day. Those Giants who boarded the plane tonight for Atlanta certainly felt relieved and possibly had an extra drink during the flight. The newest Giants Perez and Abreu got five hits between them on Tuesday night which earned them a trip to the bench which is at least better than Fresno.
Again the team avoided being swept by winning the last game of the series thanks to great pitching by Cain and some key hits in the clutch especially by Blanco. The Giants rank near the bottom in quality starts and their relief staff is not reliable. The weak hitting Pirates had batting practice on Monday and Tuesday nights. It's not losing the first three hitters in the batting order that are causing the losses but pitching which is really embarrassment to the Orange and Black who put so much money and so many draft choices over the years into developing their staff.
At the start of the season we suggested three steps the Giants should make.
* Do not bat Crawford eighth especially against right handers. Tonight he hit second.
* Send Sanchez to Fresno to get back in shape. Tonight he was back with the Giants after 50 at bats and an average of .320 in Fresno.
* Do not bat Pence behind Posey. Pence has been a pleasant surprise returning to his all star hitting form he had with the Astros and Phillies so this suggestion is no longer valid.
Homer Sweeney
Again the team avoided being swept by winning the last game of the series thanks to great pitching by Cain and some key hits in the clutch especially by Blanco. The Giants rank near the bottom in quality starts and their relief staff is not reliable. The weak hitting Pirates had batting practice on Monday and Tuesday nights. It's not losing the first three hitters in the batting order that are causing the losses but pitching which is really embarrassment to the Orange and Black who put so much money and so many draft choices over the years into developing their staff.
At the start of the season we suggested three steps the Giants should make.
* Do not bat Crawford eighth especially against right handers. Tonight he hit second.
* Send Sanchez to Fresno to get back in shape. Tonight he was back with the Giants after 50 at bats and an average of .320 in Fresno.
* Do not bat Pence behind Posey. Pence has been a pleasant surprise returning to his all star hitting form he had with the Astros and Phillies so this suggestion is no longer valid.
Homer Sweeney
Monday, June 10, 2013
Only 1 1/2 Games Out
It could have been 5 1/2 games but instead the Giants are only 1 1/2 games out of first place after taking two out of three from the Arizona DBacks. The Giants had scored two runs Tuesday to beat Toronto then got shut out at AT&T with two hits the next day in the game we attended. Then on to the Sun Belt and the Giants manage to get one run before giving up a game losing three run homer to Arizona slugger Goldschmidt.. The bats came alive on both Saturday and Sunday to win two and now the Orange and Black are off to Pittsburgh for a three games.
Sunday marked the debut of Juan Perez who we ear marked as a player to follow after spring training along with Johnny Monell of Fresno, Rudy Oropesa and Adam Duvall of Richmond. The top 20 prospects that appear on the Giants website are somebody's imagination. Perez is number 20 on the list. We saw Perez hit a home run against Cincinnati at Goodyear in March and the ball just jumped off his bat. I took a second look and said who is this kid. He was playing the outfield for the Giants then following my suggestions to play minor league players at more then one position they played Perez at both ss and 3rd at Fresno. Who would ever think a player playing at third for Fresno and then three days later he is playing center field for the World Champions and crashes into the right center field wall to rob Arizona slugger Goldschmidt of extra bases. Perez was pinch hit for later in game by Abreu who has had just forty three at bats in organized games and one in spring training in last four month. Since he is a switch hitter Bochey won the righty lefty battle but when Abreu hit into a double play to end the rally guess who had he last laugh! I wanted to see the rookie hit!
Baseball Notes: My wife Barbara needed assistance with a wheelchair to and from her seat at AT&T. The service was great and thanks to the Giant personnel for their assistance. . . The Dodgers broke out a new star who became the Player of the Week in his inaugural starts. The new star Yasiel Puig hit close to .500 with a number of key hits and home runs to earn the the major league baseball award. His start reminded me of SF Seal Dino Restelli who in the late 1940's was sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates and immediately starting hitting home runs and making headlines through out the country. Then the opposing pitchers discovered he couldn't hit a curve. Well it was fun while it lasted! . . . It's All Star balloting time again. There is a big push to get out and vote for the Giants. Only vote for a Giant if you think he deserves to start. The game is a farce as it is so don't make it any worse by making it a populatiry contest. Years ago the Cincinnati Reds fans stuffed the ballot box and seven members of their team were voted on to the squad. Not all seven of the Reds were allowed to start. . . Don't tell me Sandoval is going on the DL. So what else is new?
Homer Sweeney
 |
| Abreu only at bat in spring training at Surprise, AZ |
Baseball Notes: My wife Barbara needed assistance with a wheelchair to and from her seat at AT&T. The service was great and thanks to the Giant personnel for their assistance. . . The Dodgers broke out a new star who became the Player of the Week in his inaugural starts. The new star Yasiel Puig hit close to .500 with a number of key hits and home runs to earn the the major league baseball award. His start reminded me of SF Seal Dino Restelli who in the late 1940's was sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates and immediately starting hitting home runs and making headlines through out the country. Then the opposing pitchers discovered he couldn't hit a curve. Well it was fun while it lasted! . . . It's All Star balloting time again. There is a big push to get out and vote for the Giants. Only vote for a Giant if you think he deserves to start. The game is a farce as it is so don't make it any worse by making it a populatiry contest. Years ago the Cincinnati Reds fans stuffed the ballot box and seven members of their team were voted on to the squad. Not all seven of the Reds were allowed to start. . . Don't tell me Sandoval is going on the DL. So what else is new?
Homer Sweeney
Sunday, June 2, 2013
A Win
Last year the Giants made a habit of losing the last game of a series to prevent them from earning a sweep. It is different this year. The Giants are now winning the last game of the series to avoid being swept. Belt was a hero today with a pinch hit double to drive in a couple of runs. After the game the discussion was about Gaudin and if he will go back to relief or start in the rotation. The fact is Gaudin is now the number one pitcher on the staff and he will make his next scheduled start.
The feeling about the Giants chances are not very good. Everybody knows it. The fun will really start if they drop out of contention and become sellers rather then buyers at the trade deadline. The speculation will be heavy but sure to be at the top of the list are Zito, Lincecum, Pill, and Sandoval. The Giants need to acquire some young talented pitchers for the future. This might be their opportunity.
Homer Sweeney
The feeling about the Giants chances are not very good. Everybody knows it. The fun will really start if they drop out of contention and become sellers rather then buyers at the trade deadline. The speculation will be heavy but sure to be at the top of the list are Zito, Lincecum, Pill, and Sandoval. The Giants need to acquire some young talented pitchers for the future. This might be their opportunity.
Homer Sweeney
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